Agricultural soil preparation equipment typically includes a disc configuration to be used for breaking up and smoothing the surface of cultivated fields in preparation for planting. The disc configuration is usually drawn by a tractor or other source of motor power, multiple disc configurations are often employed, where the forward disc configuration initially breaks up lumps and clods and a rear disc configuration reduces the fragments to still smaller size and smoothing the ground.
A typical disc configuration includes a main frame with several disc gang assemblies suspended therefrom. The disc gangs are generally mounted at an angle with respect to the forward direction of travel. Each gang assembly comprises a plurality of equally spaced disc blades mounted on an axle for rotation about a common axis. The axle is supported by a series of C-shaped spring elements configured to allow the disc gangs to flex with the contour of the landscape as the agricultural implement is drawn by the tow vehicle.
In wet weather or in heavy, sticky soil conditions, earth tends to cling to the disc blades. In order to smooth the ground properly, it is desirable that this earth be removed frequently or even continuously. Otherwise the accumulation of soil and residue adhering to the discs can adversely affect disc operation. To eliminate the accumulation of soil and residue, scraper devices have been developed to keep the surfaces of the discs near their circumferences clear of the soil and residue.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,179 discloses a scraper mechanism for a disc gang harrow. The scraper mechanism includes a scraper blade supported from a mounting bracket fixedly attached to a tool bar of an agricultural implement to be towed. The scraper blade is generally aligned in a downward direction so as to bias against the disc blade. The disc gang is suspended from the toolbar by a series of bearing-supporting arms which carry bearing assemblies at their lower end and rotatable support of a common shaft. The scraper blades are rigidly supported to the toolbar and likewise tend to bounce in relation to the disc gang. Also, the vertically aligned scraper blades tend to yield and break from miscellaneous forces (e.g., contact with debris flow caused by cutting action of the disc blade) associated with operation in the field. When the mounting bracket or fastener breaks, the scraper arm and attached scraper blade are usually lost in the field. Also, soil and residue flow tend to be carried from the rear of the rotating blades to up and forward over the top of the disc gang spools and be trapped behind the disc gang cushion spring and on the top of the gang bearing assembly. When this happens, the soil and residue mixture can be compacted between the disc blades and the cushion spring and prevent the proper operation of the disc gang.